God's Character Podcast: Recent Episodes
God's Character Podcast
God'sCharacter.com • Seeks to make a difference in the world by providing a resource for those who have questions about God and the trustworthiness of His character, exploring the depths of God's character of love and to reveal that love through every means possible. • To educate and explain why God, in Jesus, came to this world, not with overwhelming power and force, but rather unnoticed as a baby and dependent on one of his own creatures to provide for his care and upbringing; why God in human form washed the dirty feet of his betrayer and dried them with a towel; why He did not strike back when his own creatures put him to death and instead offered them forgiveness. • To provide media resources (audio, video, powerpoint slides, pdf documents, etc.) pointing to Jesus as the perfect reflection of who God is.
Go to our Playlists to see the Bible Studies organized by book
In Western Christianity, the message of Jesus has often been condensed to this: "Jesus died for my sins so that I can go to heaven." It is surprising to learn, however, that this was not the primary message of the early disciples as recorded in the book of Acts. In Acts 17:7, for example, Paul and Silas were criticized for saying that "Jesus is king and Caesar is nothing!" The radical message of the early Christians was that there is a new King of the world and his name is Jesus. The message was that this King and his Kingdom is entirely different than any other king or kingdom that the world has ever known. This message was threatening to the kingdoms and powers of the world and the early Christians were persecuted. With the conversion of Constantine, however, the message that "Jesus is King" was reduced and Christ now became the chaplain of the state rather than King. Even to our modern day, Jesus is not really viewed as King of this world other than in the diminished sense that he is "king in my heart". As Brian Zahnd has said, "We run the world the way we want to - through force and coercion. Jesus has been reduced to the position of secretary of after-life affairs."
It's time to reclaim the message that Jesus is King of the world today! Equally important, it's time that we begin to work together to establish his Kingdom on this earth - a Kingdom that is based on "power-under", service, compassion, peace-making and forgiveness.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/King_Jesus_Gospel_2014.ppt
Who was really on trial in the crucifixion of Jesus? John 12:31 says that "Now is the judgment of this world..." or "Now is the critical moment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be exposed." The Cross of Jesus is not only the clearest revelation about God's heart of love, it also pulls back the shades to fully expose everything that is wrong with our world. At the Cross, the very nature of all kingdoms of the world are exposed for all of their ugliness; at the Cross, there is an indictment against religion that attempts to force and coerce; and, at the Cross, scapegoating, the accusing spirit, and violence are all exposed as the very spirit of Satan and his kingdom. The Cross not only reveals the goodness of God - it also reveals the serpent on the pole and the severe extent that the serpent has penetrated our hearts and minds.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Who_was_on_trial_2014.ppt
Having re-read John chapters 13-17 several times this week, there is little doubt in my mind that, next to the Cross, this is the pinnacle revelation of God in the entire Bible. These chapters describe the words and actions of Jesus in the Upper Room the night before he died. This is where Jesus took the form of a servant and washed the feet of his disciples. The Upper Room is where Jesus tells Phillip, "if you have seen me you have seen the Father". In the Upper Room we learn that the master-servant relationship is not God's ideal, but rather we are to be God's friends. This is also where we learn that eternal life is not so much about how long it lasts, but rather describes the quality of the experience as a "knowing" relationship with God. And finally, it is in this conversation that Jesus tells his disciples "plainly" about the Father - without figures, parables or dark speech. These 5 chapters of John should be the foundation for every other belief about God.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John%2013-17.ppt
The Gospel of John has more to say about the judgment than any other book in the Bible. In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus makes a bold declaration, "This is how the judgment works: light has come into the world, but people prefer the darkness..." How does this fit our picture of the judgment? John has radical and counter-intuitive descriptions of the judgment that do not fit the standard picture of the Father as our judge and Jesus as the friend in court. The words of Jesus in this gospel are the clearest description of how the judgment actually works. Can we apply this meaning to the vivid and symbolic imagery of judgment in Daniel and Revelation?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John_judgment.ppt
John the Baptist introduces Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). What does this mean? We have become so conditioned to understand this in a legal sense, where Jesus came to make a payment to the Father to legally set us right with the Father. But does this describe what Jesus actually accomplished? In this Bible study we will consider how Jesus takes away the sin of the world. We will also use Isaiah and Revelation to discuss the importance of Jesus as the "Lamb of God."
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Lamb%20of%20God.ppt
More than any other book in the Bible, the Gospel of John highlights Jesus as none other than God in human form. John points to Jesus as the Creator, the "Logos", the "I AM" of the Old Testament, and repeatedly quotes Jesus as saying "if you have seen me, you have seen the Father." What difference does it make for us to equate Jesus with God? It should make all the difference in the world. Doctrine #1 and the most important foundation of all is that Jesus is God's one true self-portrait.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John_1_In_the_beginning.ppt
Most interpreters of Revelation see the 7 Trumpets as the judgments of God against rebellious sinners. This view believes that God's justice requires him to retributively punish. But is God the only person who plays an active role in the book of Revelation? The third trumpet is an allusion to Isaiah 14, the "bright morning star" which is an invitation to interpret demonic activity into the trumpet sequence. In addition, the fifth trumpet refers to the same fallen star who is finally identified as "the Destroyer." Is God the destroyer? Why are Satan and demonic forces marginalized in current Christian theology? Surely nothing damages God's reputation more than to assign Satan's activity as something that God is doing. The entire book of Revelation is to contrast the violently slaughtered Lamb with the dragon who deceptively tries to pass himself off as the lamb-like beast. Let's not confuse the Lamb with the dragon!
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_8_9_Trumpets.ppt
During medical school in 1988 or 1989, I attended a Daniel and Revelation seminar. Large posters and billboards of beasts, nuclear explosions, tanks and words like "Armageddon" advertised the conference. I don't remember many details, but I do recall much discussion about the rise of Communism predicted in Revelation and a coming war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The preacher added, "God has given us this prophecy so that we are not caught off guard." A few years later, of course, the Soviet Union dropped out of most Revelation seminars to be replaced by more contemporary issues such as terrorism, Islam or Iran. This approach illustrates a problem with most interpretations of this book. What approach should we take? Preterists view Revelation as describing things that have already happened, mainly surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Futurists/dispensationalists, such as the makers of the "Left Behind" series, see this book as a future "dispensation" and have complex charts and graphs to show what will happen in the end. Historicists look to tie the story into an ongoing line of history, eagerly searching for the next pope or world leader to fit into the historical timeline. Is there another approach?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_2013_part_1.ppt
The 7 bowls of God's wrath are seen by many as the strongest evidence of God's Divine retributive justice. These bowls, however, must be interpreted in the context of the book of Revelation as well as in the context of all 66 books of the Bible. In fact, the trumpets and the bowls have remarkably striking parallels which will allow the trumpet sequence to inform us about the identity of the active agent in the bowl sequence.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_16_Bowls.ppt
When we consider the verses about “fire” in Revelation, Satan and the demonic are usually left out of the picture. This misses the complete story that Revelation attempts to describe. For example, the 6th trumpet opens with the four angels released “to kill a third of the human race.” (8:15). The clarification however is that the source of the punishment is demonic mounted troops and that “from their mouths came out fire, smoke and sulfur...a third of the human race was killed by those three plagues: the fire, the smoke and sulfur coming out of the horses mouths” (8:19). Although the 3rd Angels Message describes torment in fire and sulfur for those who follow the Great Babylon the prostitute, Revelation 17 expands on this passage and explains "let me show you how the great prostitute will be punished" (17:1). The clarification is then given that “the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the whore; they will make her desolate and naked; they will devour her flesh and burn her up with fire” (17:16).
In addition, the description of “the wine press” where “blood flowed...as high as the bridles of the horses, for a distance of about two hundred miles” (14:20) has its context in the setting of war and self-destruction that comes from within not from God: “In those days...a stream shall flow with their blood. For a man shall not be able to withhold his hands from his sons nor from (his) sons’ sons in order to kill them. Nor is it possible for the sinner to withhold his hands from his honored brother. From dawn until the sun sets, they shall slay each other. The horse shall walk through the blood of sinners up to his chest; and the chariot shall sink down up to its top” (1 Enoch 100:3). I would suggest that this passage from 1 Enoch may be the clearest description of how humans and demonic alike are finally destroyed. See also Zephaniah 1:14-18, Zechariah 14:13-15, Ezekiel 38:18-23.
God’s wrath in the OT is associated with specific events like the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities where God, the healer and protector, was pushed away. Evil enemy forces were then unrestrained leading to the burning of Jerusalem and death. On the Cross we also see unrestrained demonic forces crushing out the life of Jesus. These forces in Revelation are the ones continually seeking to violence, to make war and to destroy - not God. “The dragon and his angels warred” (12:7); “Then the dragon...went off to make war…” (12:17); “And it was allowed to make war on the saints” (13:7); “the beast...will make war on them” (11:7); “these are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for war...” (16:14); “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider...” (19:19) - - who, interestingly, fights with a sword out of his mouth.
In this Bible study, we will seek to put together the references to fire in the book of Revelation.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_14_Fire.ppt
The three angels' of Revelation 14 represent the final message to the world. In the context of the lamb-like imitative beasts of Revelation 13 that deceive the entire world, God's people are given a powerful final message. Understanding the essential meaning of this passage is critically important if we are to meet the world with a message that is transforming and that awakens hearts and minds to leave the kingdom of the beast and to join the Lamb's Kingdom.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_14_Three_Angels.ppt
There has been almost an infinite amount of speculation about the meaning of the mark of the beast. The book of Revelation is full of contrasting images that revolve around the distinction between the Lamb and the dragon. Followers of the Lamb are the 144,000 who receive the seal of God; followers of the dragon receive the polar opposite - the mark of the beast. Perhaps the best place to understand the meaning of the 666 then is to first discover what God's seal refers to.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_13_Mark_of_Beast.ppt
The book of Revelation revolves around the Cosmic Conflict between Christ and Satan. All of the vivid illustrations are for the purpose of explaining the issues in this conflict as well as to define the role that we have to play. At the heart of the controversy is the character of God. The dragon is described as slandering God's name and cleverly imitating and distorting the image of the true Lamb. The central image of God in the book of Revelation as well as the answers to Satan's charges are found in the throne room scene of Revelation 4 and 5. These two chapters are so imaginative in the way God's true character is revealed. Click here (https://www.facebook.com/pages/GodsCharactercom/102112119843672) to comment or discuss.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_5_The_Middle.ppt
There are many different interpretations of the seven seals. Who is the rider on the white horse? Does this individual represent a person or a period of church history? Is the rider good or bad? The next three riders are maliciously associated with images of war, famine and death. The seventh seal is most perhaps the strangest of all - - 30 minutes of silence in heaven! The seals make sense if they are taken together as a whole and if the breaking of the seventh seal is allowed to answer the challenge to God's worthiness that was raised in the heavenly throne room scene.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_6_8_Seals.ppt
The Bible is redundant in associating the death of Jesus with the exposure and defeat of Satan and the cosmic opponents of God. Yet, it seems that this meaning is rarely expressed and the death of Jesus is discussed mainly in terms of personal salvation. In this Bible study we will consider very specifically how the death of Jesus was involved in disarming and destroying the Devil and the spiritual forces that oppose God. As promised in the lecture, click here (http://godscharacter.com/index.php/articles/god-blog/460-the-day-god-was-killed-by-his-creatures) to read a more extensive article on the atonement.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Colossians_2_13_15.ppt
Judas betrayed Jesus for the same primary reason that Peter betrayed Jesus. It's true that Judas was a thief, but his actions were not mainly driven by greed. Judas desperately wanted Jesus to conform to his idea of a militant nationalistic kingdom of force and power, rather than a Kingdom of love and service. The story of Judas is also a good example of the judgment. While judgment is usually seen as a unilateral judicial decree by God, the Bible describes judgment as revelation - - how we respond to the revelation of God's love in the person of Jesus Christ. "Unbelief, by shutting the door on God's love, turns his love into judgment, that man shuts himself off from God's love. There would be no judgment at all were it not for the event of God's love. And with the mission of the Son this judgment has become a present reality." Rudolph Bultmann?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John_13_27.ppt
The story of Peter is an important "case study" of God's persistent love to heal and transform an individual. Of all the disciples, Peter was the most vocal in his desire that Jesus become a "prize fighter" Messiah. When Jesus warned of his coming suffering and crucifixion, it was Peter that scolded him. Finally, when Jesus rebuked Peter for using the sword it was too much for him to handle and, for a time, he gave up all hope and publically denied Jesus. The way that God won Peter back reveals the intensity of God's efforts with each and every human soul - never giving up, always forgiving, even some "tough love" if that is what it takes.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John_21_Agape_Love.ppt
God's justice is usually defined in legal terms in the sense of an appropriate punishment that fits the crime. We associate God's justice with words like wrath, hell, and judgment. Click here http://youtu.be/VJlI7t1kuxw to view one common version of God's justice by John Piper. How does this description fit with Matthew 12, which describes Jesus as the very embodiment of God's justice? "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory." (Matthew 12:18-20)
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Matthew%2012_justice.ppt
We are in the middle of a series on the subject of hell-fire, God's wrath and next week God's justice. The subject of hell and God's wrath are related. For example, the 3rd angels message in Revelation 14 describes those who worship the beast as drinking "the wine of God's wrath" and that "they will be tormented in fire and sulfur." This is a terrifying passage but what is the meaning? Throughout the Bible, God's wrath is associated with God "giving up", "forsaking", "abandoning" or "handing over" his children to their own foolish choices. Why then were Jesus' dying words, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Mark 15:34). Does the Cross give us insight into the meaning of God's wrath and how do we tie this together with hell-fire?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Mark_15_hell.ppt
How we understand hell is one of the most important subjects of all in terms of our picture of God. Is hell a place of literal burning fire? For those suffering in hell, how long does it last? Any human subjected to a lake of fire would be instantly consumed. Does this mean that God performs a miracle to sustain the "wicked" in order to punish them? Our own sense of justice and compassion does not lead us impose those consequences even on the worst tyrants and murderers. Fortunately, the bible gives us much evidence on which to base our opinion about hell.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Matthew%203%20hell.ppt
One of the most surprising teachings about hell among "spiritual giants" of the last 2,000 years is the idea that those in heaven will delight in the sufferings of those who are writhing in the flames. Tertullian, Thomas Aquinas, Isaac Watts, Jonathan Edwards and many others have promoted this view. J.I. Packer doesn't go quite that far but said that "love and pity for hell's occupants will not enter our hearts." The story of the rich man and Lazarus has been used for centuries as proof of a literal hell where people suffer for eternity. Why would Jesus tell such a detailed story if he didn't mean to clarify something about life after death?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/The%20Rich%20Man%20and%20Lazarus.ppt
From Gethsemane to the Cross, Jesus was tempted to use his power to silence his doubters and to reveal who he was. He had to restrain Peter from using force and reminded him that he could call "more than twelve legions of angels" (Matthew 26:53). In this context, Jesus's words to Pilate are significant, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my followers would fight...but as it is, my kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36). Again and again throughout his ministry Jesus talked about his Kingdom. What is God's kingdom? Is it primarily a future event or a kingdom that is still to come? What does it look like and how can we distinguish it from the counterfeit kingdom?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John%2018%20Gods%20Kingdom.ppt
The Lord's Prayer has been said and repeated so many times that the significance is easily lost. This short prayer has a depth of meaning that explains both the primary purpose and the complexity of prayer. Many times the Bible says that prayer makes a difference. Jesus said that "if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:14) and according to James, "the prayer of a good person has a powerful effect" (James 5:16). If these verses are true, why do prayers often seem to go unanswered? Does the Lord's Prayer really address these questions?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentations here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Matthew_6_Prayer.ppt
Every word and every action of Jesus' life was a part of "destroying the works of the Devil" (1 John 3:8). In this Bible study, we considered how the miracles of Jesus were involved in defeating the Devil - not only in terms of the individual that was healed but also in the larger scale of Jesus' victory over Satan in the cosmic conflict. It was a surprise for me to discover that even Jesus' action of turning water to wine was an act of defeating the cosmic opponent.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_John_1-3_destroying_devils_works.ppt
The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus' first major sermon in which he outlined the nature of his kingdom. This sermon was, in some ways, like a major presidential speech with a large crowd that came to hear about "the Kingdom" that Jesus was talking about. The word "radical" is probably overused, but in this case it understates how shocking Jesus' words must have seemed to his audience. "When Jesus finished speaking, the crowd was amazed" (Matthew 7:28). What was so amazing about this sermon? How would 21st century Christians react to a sermon like this?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Matthew%205-7.ppt
What's wrong with the Creator of the Universe turning a stone into a loaf of bread? This first temptation of Satan was subtle but yet struck at the very core of God's Kingdom. In this lecture we discussed the parallels between the wilderness temptations of Jesus (Luke 4), the temptations of the serpent in the tree (Genesis 3), and finally with the "temptations" of the Israelites during their 40 years of desert wandering (Deuteronomy 8:2).
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Luke%204_temptations.ppt
The primary subject of Romans is God's faithfulness and trustworthiness. As Richard B. Hays, Dean and Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School beautifully summarized, "Many people have misread the book of Romans as a book that explains how we can legally get to heaven. This interpretation, however, misses the central question that Paul is answering in this book, and that central question is this: Can God be Trusted?"
In this Bible study we explored this verse: "What if some (the Jews) were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all!" Romans 3:3,4. Paul continued to say that Jesus is the vindication of God's faithfulness. Since this was the first Bible study of the year, however, we explored the question of God's faithfulness in the Old Testament. Everyone would agree that Jesus was faithful, but what about the God of the Old Testament?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Romans_3_Gods_Faithfulness.ppt
The Gospels are considered by many to have been written long after the fact. Bart Ehrman compares their reliability to "the telephone game" - a game which is designed to produce distortion in the original message as it is whispered from one person to another.
Many recent publications, however have made a case for the Gospels as reliable eyewitness accounts. The most compelling case for this can be made for the Gospel of John which concludes, "This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them" (21:24).
Do the Gospels represent an accurate reflection of the words and the life of Jesus Christ?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John_eyewitness_account.ppt
The Gospel of John has an intentional focus on "the hour" of Jesus. Before his first miracle, Jesus said that "My hour has not yet come" (2:4). During his early life and ministry, we are twice told that "his hour had not yet come" (7:30 and 8:20). Toward the end of his life, Jesus realized that the hour was at hand, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (12:23). He recoiled from the horror of it, but knew that this hour was the fulfillment of his mission, "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say - 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour" (12:27). The forward momentum of Jesus' hour in the Gospel of John reaches a climax at the Cross, "Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father" (13:1). "After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, 'Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you" (17:1).
There is a deep meaning of "the hour" in John's Gospel that wants to reveal more to us than merely "this is the hour when Jesus died."
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/John_the_hour.ppt
It's often difficult to imagine how Jesus would respond to the specific circumstances in our every day 21st century lives. How would Jesus deal with rude customers at a bank or with wild children in a classroom or at home? The Gospels tell us much about Jesus but yet there are many situations in daily life where we struggle to understand "what would Jesus do?"
This lecture was given to a group of medical students and health professionals, but the example of Jesus is, of course, for all of us and we should try to be like him: "Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him. Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us..." (Ephesians 5:1,2).
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Ephesians_you_must_be_like_him.ppt
You don't need to be a pastor to be involved in a "sacred" profession. The story of Nehemiah is a great example of this. Initially a government worker and then later a building contractor, Nehemiah joined forces with the pastor and scribe Ezra as they attempted to lead the people back to God and to rebuild Jerusalem. There are some glimpses of God's Kingdom in this book.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/audio/Nehemiah_2012.mp3
Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to encourage the people to rebuild the city, to stimulate reformation, and to help them return to God's ways. What they found was that the people were intermarrying with foreign nations, breaking the Sabbath, and doing all kinds of things that were contrary to God's law. The methods that Ezra and Nehemiah used to bring about obedience are the subject of this Bible study and we related these to Kohlberg's stages of moral development.
There are several Messianic passages in the book of Zechariah: - A description of Joshua and Zerubbabel suddenly changes to the prediction of a greater individual known as the "Servant" and "Branch."
-- The coming Messiah "comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding on a donkey -- on a colt" (Zechariah 9:9). He also comes to "make peace among the nations" (9:10). -- Finally, there is a description of the good shepherd who is willing to lay down his life for the sheep.
What do all of these passages suggest about the character of the coming Messiah?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Zechariah_previews.ppt
"Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye" (2:8) is the tender language that is used to describe God's great love for his people. Zechariah chapter 3 goes on to describe an Accuser who claims that we are worthless and not the apple of God's eye. In this study we considered the role of Satan as accuser and God as the One who is for us.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Zechariah_apple.ppt
God's glory is typically associated with things like power, brightness, and majesty. The book of Haggai, however, suggests that there is much more to God's glory than his right arm of power. What we understand God's glory to be should have a direct effect on how we perceive the world around us today.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Haggai_2011.ppt
We are conditioned from childhood to believe certain things about the judgment: We are on trial standing guilty before God the Father who is the judge. The only good news about the judgment is that Jesus is our Advocate and Friend in court. The description of judgment in Daniel and especially in the Gospel of John paints quite a different picture, however. Can the various images of judgment in the bible be reconciled?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Daniel_heavenly_court.ppt
The book of Daniel predicts a time of victory for a terrible enemy of God. "He will speak against the Supreme God and oppress God's people. He will try to change their religious laws and festivals, and God's people will be under his power..." (7:25). In a subsequent vision, this enemy "grew strong enough to attack the army of heaven, the stars themselves, and it threw some of them to the ground and trampled on them. It even defied the Prince of the heavenly army, stopped the daily sacrifices offered to him, and ruined the Temple...Truth was thrown to the ground" (8:10-12). My Bible contains a very authoritative footnote that the enemy in Daniel 8 "is Antiochus IV Epiphanes" - no question about it. Is the foot of Antiochus IV Epiphanes really big enough to fill the enormous shoe that is described in Daniel 8?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Daniel_truth_thrown_down.ppt
Daniel is one of a handful of people in the bible that are described as without fault. In this bible study we will consider the life of Daniel and the remarkable impact that he had on Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus and others. Daniel lived in a foreign nation. Is that why he stood out so much? We live in a nation that is "Christian" in name. What would the life of Daniel look like in 21st century America?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Daniel_2011.ppt
Revelation chapter 18 makes extensive use of the imagery in Ezekiel 27 and 28 that describes the nation and the King of Tyre. In Ezekiel, Tyre sits on the sea and "boasted of your perfect beauty" (Eze. 27:3). In Revelation, Babylon is the city on the sea that boasts, "Here I sit, a queen!" (Rev. 18:7). The King of Tyre in Ezekiel 28 is a description of Satan. Likewise, the force driving the activities of ;Babylon in Revelation is the Dragon.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "The...question is whether I believe in devils. I do...It seems to me to explain a good many facts." In this bible study we considered some of the "good many facts" that are at least partially explained by the demonic.
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Ezekiel_27-28.ppt
Ezekiel received one of the strangest visions in the bible. How should we interpret the wheel within a wheel that is covered with eyes? What about the four living creatures with four faces and wings? What about the lightening and blazing torches? Does this describe a heavenly reality or is this symbolic of something? Was there a meaning for the people in Ezekiel's time? Is it relevant for us today? Does this vision contribute something to our picture of God?
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Ezekiel_vision.ppt
Suffering was extreme during the time of Jeremiah. The Babylonians surrounded Jerusalem and "The siege will be so terrible that the people inside the city will eat one another and even their own children." (Jeremiah 19:9)
Innocent children suffered during this time because of the foolishness of kings, prophets and other leaders. Where was God? God has all the power and we say that God is all loving. How can he allow for such misery?
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Jeremiah_human_suffering.ppt
It is sometimes said that Jesus talked more about hell than heaven. For example, "If you call your brother a worthless fool, you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell" (Matthew 5:22). What is Jesus referring to?
It is easy to superimpose our preconceived notion of hell and to then assume that we know exactly what Jesus was talking about. The "hell" that Jesus spoke of is "Gehenna" or the "Valley of Hinnom." To understand the significance of this valley and the meaning Jesus had in mind, we must do some footwork in the Old Testament and Jeremiah is the best place to piece this story together.
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Jeremiah_hinnom_valley.ppt
Jeremiah clarifies the meaning of God's wrath more than any other Old Testament book. There are dozens of verses just like this one in the book of Jeremiah: "I will fight against you with all my might, my anger, my wrath, and my fury..." (21:5). How can we understand what this actually means?
The commonly held view of God's wrath runs something like this: "God's wrath represents his righteous indignation and imposed punishment for sin." What makes the book of Jeremiah so powerful is that we actually see, in a historical event, exactly what God did when he poured out his wrath. The reality of God's wrath as revealed in the book of Jeremiah is quite surprising and counter-intuitive.
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Jeremiah_gods_wrath.ppt
The book of Jeremiah becomes much more significant if it is read as a story about God. What do we learn about God in the book of Jeremiah? Read in the "right" light we see Jeremiah's life as a reflection of Jesus Christ: "I [Jeremiah] was like a trusting lamb, taken out to be killed..." (Jeremiah 11:18,19)
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Jeremiah_as_story.ppt
Many have struggled with the God of the Old Testament - a God who sometimes appears very different in character than Jesus.
In this lecture, we discussed several ways to read (as well as how not to read) the Old Testament.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/BibleIntro_how_to_read_ot.ppt
It took three New Testament books to explain God's response to Habakkuk. To Habakkuk's passionate complaint, God responded with the famous words, "Those who are evil will not survive, but those who are righteous will live because they are faithful to God" (2:4). If we take in the setting of what the words meant to Habakkuk, this fundamentally changes how we understand righteousness by faith.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Habakkuk_2011.ppt
Destroying locusts are the dominant image of the book of Joel. As it relates to the character of God, the obvious question to ask is, "Who's in charge?" Joel suggests that God controls the locusts on the "Day of the Lord"
"The day of the LORD is near, the day when the Almighty brings destruction. What terror that day will bring" (1:15). I was surprised to see the NET Bible translation of this verse, "It will come as destruction from the Divine Destroyer."
Literal locusts that destroy crops today obviously have no leader. Even Proverbs tells us, "Locusts: they have no ;king, but they move in formation" (Proverbs 30:27). Joel's locusts, however, do have a leader: "The LORD thunders commands to his army. The troops that obey him are many and mighty" (2:11).
Jesus repeatedly told us, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father," "The Father and I are one." Can we imagine Jesus as the king of the locust army? Did Jesus reveal God to be "The Divine Destroyer?" If not, what are we to make of the locusts and their king?
Read Dr. Cole's Blog: http://www.godscharacter.com/index.php/articles/god-blog/255-joel-s-locusts-and-the-divine-destroyer
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Joel_2011.ppt
The worst thing that can be said of the Assyrians in this book is that God cannot heal them. The last verse of Nahum concludes: "There is no remedy for your injuries, and your wounds cannot be healed." This is a terminal diagnosis -- like a doctor telling a patient, "Your cancer is so advanced, there is nothing I can do to help you." Theology has usually placed a premium on achieving God's forgiveness for sin as the "end all" that is involved in salvation. In this Bible study, we pursued the concept of salvation as healing rather than as a legal transaction.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Nahum_2011.ppt
"I will take revenge on you, my enemies, and you will cause me no more trouble. I will take action against you. I will purify you the way metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity." (Isaiah 1:24,25)
Fire is a repeated theme of this book. When Isaiah encountered God in all his glory he felt guilt and shame until a burning coal touched his lips.
"God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29) in the book of Isaiah: "God, the light of Israel, will become a fire. Israel's holy God will become a flame, which in a single day will burn up everything, even the thorns and thistles." (Isaiah 10:17)
The basis for understanding the smoke that ascends "forever and ever" in Revelation comes from Isaiah chapter 34. And finally, this most tantalizing passage:
"Now I will do something and be greatly praise. Your deeds are straw that will be set on fire by your very own breath. You will be burned to ashes like thorns in a fire. Everyone, both far and near, come look at what I have done. See my mighty power! The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: 'Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?' He who walks righteously and speaks what is right..." (Isaiah 33:10-15)
What is the consuming fire of God?
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Isaiah_refining_fire.ppt
A major earthquake rocked Japan today, resulting in hundreds of deaths and unspeakable damage. Who is responsible for this? Questions about God's involvement in disasters like this always arise such as: "How could God allow this?" "Is God punishing the people of Japan for their sin?" "Is this a judgment of God on the earth as described in the book of Revelation?"
Yesterday's Bible study was timely given the recent world events. Isaiah 14 is a funeral poem that describes the fall of Satan, initially from heaven to the earth and then finally into the abyss. Relevant for the events we are watching today are the words from this poem: "Is this the one who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who would not let his prisoners go home?...You have destroyed your land, you have killed your people."
It seems that there is almost a conspiracy of silence regarding the demonic reality in our world. In this Bible study we ;contrasted the words in Isaiah with the destructive events described in the the book of Revelation. Ultimately, who is responsible? ;Does the book of Revelation describe demonic activity in the destruction of the earth, or is God the acting subject?
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Isaiah_you_killed_your_people.ppt
The book of Isaiah has many parallels to the book of Revelation. Isaiah and Revelation not only describe God on his throne and in all his glory, but also God in his humility as a slaughtered Lamb and as a suffering Servant. Isaiah and Revelation also describe the character and the kingdom of the Adversary.
As we discussed in this lecture, the key Old Testament reference for understanding the "silence in heaven" that occurs in Revelation is found in Isaiah 52 and 53. "Kings will be shocked into silence when they seem him. They will see and understand something they had never known." (Isaiah 52:13,14). What is it that will stun all of heaven into a praise that is most fitting of silence?
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Isaiah_52_shocked_into_silence.ppt
The book of Micah contains a very direct and bottom line summary of exactly what God requires of us. The answer is rather surprising in a way. What God wanted during the time of Micah had nothing to do with offering sacrifices, providing God with some form of payment to cover sins, or even having the "right" list of doctrinal beliefs. Not to minimize the importance of these things, but does the bottom line list provided by Micah also apply to us today?
"This is what the LORD requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Micah_lord_requires.ppt
What does God do to us if we say "no" to His offer of marriage? The book of Hosea is one of the most tender books in the Old Testament because it describes God as desperately trying to win over his wife who has become a prostitute. But what is often overlooked is that this book also describes what happens to us if we say "no" to God. Is the penalty imposed or is the penalty a natural consequence?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Hosea_love_me.ppt
God's call for justice is the central theme of Amos. During this period of Israel's history, the people were wealthy and powerful (even religious!), yet they obtained all of this at the expense of others. The poor and outcasts of society were abused by the rich and corrupt upper class. During this time, God cried out for justice which meant to have fair scales, to care for the widow's, orphans and the outcasts of society, and to be generous with the less fortunate.
This message is relevant for our time. Tunisia and Egypt are in revolt as the people are rising up against their leaders who they perceive as having no concern about the poor and less fortunate. In America, the average lifestyle is four times that of the world average, yet American's spend 97 percent of their income on themselves. This article from a few weeks ago addresses this problem. The book of Amos is a rebuke to us just as much as it was to the Israelites over 2,500 years ago.
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Amos_want_justice.ppt
Amos is a book filled with fierce words of warning about God's coming judgment against the nations. The book opens with a series of judgments against the surrounding nations. In every case, to the Syrians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people of Tyre, and even to the kingdom of Judah God said that he would send fire to destroy. For example, to Judah, "I will send fire upon Judah and burn down the fortresses of Jerusalem" (Amos 2:5).
In this Bible study we considered what actually happened to the nations that God said he would destroy with fire. We then contrasted the theme of judgment as described in Amos with judgment as described in the gospel of John.
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Amos_judgment.ppt
There are many fascinating parallels between Jonah and Jesus. Both voluntarily plunged into the sea/grave in order to save others; both spent 3 days and nights in the depths of the sea/grave*; Jonah's prayer from the belly of the whale ("From deep in the belly of Sheol I cried for help... I thought I had been banished from your presence...") has close similarities to the experience of Jesus as described in many of the Messianic Psalms; both Jonah and Jesus experienced a "resurrection" from the sea/grave; after their "resurrection", Jonah preached that in 40 days Nineveh would be destroyed while Jesus was with the disciples for 40 days telling them about the Kingdom of God;
Jonah "ascended" on a hill to watch Nineveh, while Jesus ascended ;to heaven and finally, in both cases there was a dramatic revival -- the people of Nineveh repented and there was the powerful birth of the Christian church.
Just as important as the similarities between Jonah and Jesus, however, are the glaring distinctions and we should rejoice that our God is like Jesus, not Jonah!
Get the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Jonah_sign_v_jesus_sign.ppt
This is a very strange passage where two "prophets of the LORD" claimed to speak for God and then asked another prophet of the LORD to do something. The first prophets' lie was believed by the younger prophet resulting in his death by a lion. The second prophet told the truth but was not believed by the other prophet which also resulted in his death by a lion!
Finally, there is the bizarre story of Micaiah where God himself is described as sending a lying spirit. What are we to make of these stories? How can we tell if God is speaking through someone or if we are being lied to?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Kings_13-22.ppt
Fire came down from heaven on Mount Carmel and everyone was on their knees, but yet there was no revival. Because of this, Elijah was depressed to the point of desiring death. His mission seemed a failure.
God brought Elijah to Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai) and had a surprising revelation for Elijah (and us). Wind, fire and earthquake came, but God was not in the wind, he was not in the fire, and he was not in the earthquake. God instead revealed himself as a still, small and gentle voice. The meaning of this revelation to Elijah is one of the most profound messages in the entire Old Testament.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Kings_17-19.ppt
"God has laid a miserable fate upon us. I have seen everything done in this world, and I tell you, it is all useless. It is like chasing the wind" (1:14,15).
This is just one of many difficult verses in this book. For example, is there really a time to hate and a time to kill?
Is it true that "Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny" (6:10).
What about Solomon's words that "there is one good man in a thousand, but never have I found a good woman"? (7:24).
What about his thoughts on the afterlife? "There is no way for us to know what will happen after we die" (3:22).
And finally, what about this theology? "God controls the actions of the wise and righteous people, even their love and their hate...The same fate comes to the rightous and the wicked, to the good and the bad, to those who are religious and those who are not...a good persion is no better off than a sinner..." (9:1,2).
If all scripture is "God breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16), what are we to make of this book?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Ecclesiastes.ppt
The book of Proverbs has much to say about wisdom, but yet it does not provide us with a neat and concise definition. What is the essence of wisdom? Is this available to us?
What does Paul refer to when he said, "Christ is the key that opens all the hidden treasures of God's wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3)
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Proverbs.ppt
Song of Solomon is one of the most controversial books in the Bible with a wide variety of different interpretations. Is this story an allegory that poetically describes God's love for his people or is this primarily a story of the passion between two lovers?
"The literal interpretation of the Song of Solomon has been rejected many times by both Jewish and Christian interpreters. The reason given for not considering the book a love song is the feeling that a sacred book should not be about the passion and joys of love between a man and a women...because of its explicit language, ancient and modern Jewish sages forbade men to read the book before they were thirty (and presumably kept women from reading it at all)." - Nelson Study Bible Commentary
Is "falling in love" and human sexuality a subject that is "beneath" the Bible?
Some have had a very high opinion of this book, "The whole world is not worth the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies." - Rabbi Akiba
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Song_Solomon.ppt
The repeated claim that David was a man after God's own heart is offensive to many. David was the man who committed adultery with Bathsheba and then deceptively had her husband Uriah killed. David also had many wives and was a man of violence. When Saul asked for 100 foreskins in order for David to marry his daughter, David brought 200. When David defeated the Moabites who had protected his parents while he was fleeing Saul, he laid them on the ground and killed two out of every three and made the rest his slaves. The list of David's "sins" is extensive and recorded in graphic detail.
Having said all of that, what would prompt God to go on record as saying that David was "a man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:33)? Perhaps the answer to that question will help us to see what God is really looking for in us.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/david_man_after_gods_heart.ppt
The Psalms are filled with angry words against enemies. "The LORD laughs at wicked people, because he knows they will soon be destroyed" (Psalm 37:13). Does God really laugh at the wicked? The Psalmist would plead with God, "Punish them with the sufferings you have stored up for them; may there be enough for their children and some left over for their children's children!" (Psalm 17:13,14). And later, "May they be like snails that dissolve into slime; may they be like a baby born dead that never sees the light." (Psalm 58:6,7). Jeremiah would even say to God, "Happy are those who pay you back for what you have done to us - - who take your babies and smash them against a rock" (Psalm 137:8,9).
Do these verses give us the option of occasionally treating our enemies this way instead of following Jesus' words to "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray those who mistreat you."
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Psalms_2010.ppt
"Envy rots the bones" (Proverbs 14:30) and is listed as one of the "seven deadly sins." Saul was consumed by envy and jealousy for David which eventually led him to attempt to kill David, his own son, the priests, entire villages of his own people, and finally to consult a witch for advice. Envy is the opposite of love and is rooted in selfishness that springs from the insecurity of placing ourselves at the center of our universe rather than God. This unavoidably leads to us derive all of our security and self-esteem from the opinions that others have of us.
Envy leads us to "sorrow at another's good" (Thomas Aquinas). What is really remarkable about this story in 1st Samuel is the selfless behavior of Jonathan who had every reason to be jealous of David. Jonathan could have claimed his right to succeed his father as king, but instead of resenting David's success, he admired and loved David: "Jonathan became David's closest friend. He loved David as much as he loved himself...Jonathan made a pledge of mutual loyalty with David because he loved him as much as he loved himself" (1 Samuel 18:1-3). Jonathan's attitude reflects the definition of love, "Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have...Love isn't always 'me first'...Love doesn't revel when others grovel..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Samuel_10-26.ppt
"We want a king, so that we will be like other nations, with our own king to rule us and to lead us out to war and to fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:20)
This is such an important story because it is a summary of all human history and our desire to live and treat others in the same way that the kingdoms of the world do. There have been only rare examples in human history where we could say, "That's what God's Kingdom looks like!" In this Bible study we will contrast kingdoms of the world with God's Kingdom. It is easy to find ourselves living our lives and identifying ourselves primarily with the methods of worldly kingdoms. Can we catch a glimpse of the true Kingdom?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Samuel_8-12.ppt
In the two books of Samuel, God does everything - both good and "bad." Three times he sends evil spirits to torment Saul; He then tempts David to give a bad census; He "decided to kill" Hophni and Phineus; He closed up Hannah's womb until her prayer; after Nabal had a massive stroke that left him paralyzed, "The LORD struck Nabal and he died" (1 Samuel 25:38). God is responsible for everything in this book! Hannah would sum up God's power this way, "The LORD kills and restores to life; he sends people to the world of the dead and brings them back again. He makes some people poor and others rich; he humbles some and makes others great" (1 Samuel 2:6,7).
Does God send evil spirits and tempt us to do evil? Does God kill people after they have had a massive stroke? Does God "decide to kill" people and then execute the plan? Does God make some people poor and others rich? This general subject is critically important to our understanding of God as well as our entire approach to the Old Testament.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Samuel_evil_spirit.ppt
I've been a Roger Ebert "fan" for many years, and so I was struck by his recent comments about God in a great article that can be found here. Ebert said:
“To hope we can learn how the universe came about is admirable; one might as well call that hope by any name. Whatever one calls it, it’s by definition outside the reach not only of our knowledge, but of knowledge itself. I was asked at lunch today who or what I worshipped. The question was asked sincerely, and in the same spirit I responded that I worshipped whatever there might be outside knowledge. I worship the void. The mystery. And the ability of our human minds to perceive an unanswerable mystery.”
It's sad that Christians are not known for having a unique perspective on this "unknowable mystery." Jesus came primarily to make this mystery known: “Eternal life is to know God…” (John 17:3) and “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is Himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has made him known.” (John 1:18
Our Bible study from last year ended with first Samuel. We reviewed some key material to orient the new students and then discussed Hophni and Phineas and then….Roger Ebert. I wish that I had the opportunity to tell Roger Ebert that God is not like the modern day Hophni and Phinehas’s of the world have made him out to be!
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Samuel_introduction.ppt
God is often viewed as inflexibile and unchanging. Verses such as "I change not" (Malachi 3:6) could be used in support of this position. Yet, in story after story, the Bible reveals a God who is constantly adapting and giving in to things that are less than the ideal to meet his children where they are. In this Bible study we considered the implications of God giving in to the Israelite's demands for a king - - even though he did not approve.
Perhaps it would be better to say that God never changes in character and that this changeless character of personified love causes him to adapt to our needs.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_Samuel_6-8.ppt
When God told Samson's parents that they would have a son, He was reluctant to reveal His name. "You should not ask me my name, because you cannot comprehend it." (Judges 13:18). In such a dark and violent book as Judges, there is something very significant in these words.
We also discussed what is called, "the worst story in the Bible" - the levite and his concubine. Where is God in this story?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Judges_12-22.ppt
This book opens with a king having his thumbs and toes cut off. It ends with the story of a woman being raped all night, left for dead, and then being dismembered and with the body part sent to all 12 tribes. That is just a sampling of the extreme violence and cruelty in this book. Gideon asked the question that we will ask in this Bible study:
"What happened to all the wonderful things that our fathers told us the LORD used to do--how he brought them out of Egypy?" (Judges 6:12) In other words, "Where is God?" in this book?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Judges_1-11.ppt
The book of Joshua describes the military escapades of God's people as they entered the Promised Land. Entire cities were wiped out. The women, children and babies were killed. And, God helped them. Joshua asked that the sun stay in place so that he and his men would have more time to kill the heathen - God complied.
For some, this book would serve as "exhibit A" that God sanctions war under certain circumstances. Yet, we really don't get this from Jesus. Why was there ever a time for God's people to kill their enemies rather than loving and praying for them, as Jesus told us to do?
Can Christians today support military conquest "in the name of Christ" even if the cause is to "protect the innocent"? The book of Joshua is a good place to ask these questions.
Dr. Brad Cole narrates his powerpoint slide presentation.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Joshua_god_of_war.ppt
00-02 | This begins another trip through the Bible and every one is very different! Today we asked some very basic questions. For many individuals, "Bible study" is associated with fundamentalism and a belief in things that are ridiculous. Bill Maher, for example, wonders how any reasonable person could take a book seriously that describes a talking snake, a river that parts in two, and a virgin birth.
Others object for other reasons. The Bible claims that "God is love" and that God is all-powerful, but how can this be true when we consider the innocent children that suffer and die every day? Others look at the recent scientific discoveries and believe that this disproves the existence of God. And more recently there are criticisms that Jesus was merely a legendary figure or at least that there have been such significant additions and embellishments to the gospel accounts that they are unreliable.
How should we approach all of these objections? Can we really take the Bible seriously in the 21st century?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/BibleIntro_study_in_21st_century.ppt
One of the most important issues for our day is the subject of inspiration. For example, in the books of Moses, rather than forbidding the practice of polygamy, guidelines were given for men who chose to take a second wife. And, rather than forbidding the practice of private vengeance, in which a family would hunt down and kill a man who killed another accidentally, God provided cities of refuge. Instead of commands that disallowed slavery, provisions are made for it...the list goes on.
In what way are these passages "inspired"?
For many individuals, the suggestion that certain passages in the Bible only apply for that specific time and culture amounts to "picking and choosing" and destroys the authority of the Bible. But should we still be stoning Sabbath breakers to death? What about Paul's advice for women that "it is a shameful thing for a women to speak in church?" Isn't it a much "slippier slope" to literally try and follow or enforce these commands today?
In this Bible study we concluded by using the subject of "women in the ministry" as a test case to apply issues related to inspiration.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Deuteronomy_inspiration.ppt
Why was Moses punished so severely for striking the rock? On the surface it would seem that he lost his cool, yet God's response would seem to indicate that there was something much more serious involved.
We also discussed Balaam and his talking donkey. There is much more to this story than meets the eye.
The fatal flaw of Balaam is so important to us that three New Testament books warn not to follow the road of Balaam.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Numbers_20-25_rock_donkey.ppt
How do we reconcile the words that God spoke "face to face with Moses" with "No man can see my face and live"?
The best context for understanding what it means to speak face to face with God is found in Numbers chapter 12. What is remarkable about the face to face relationship that Moses had with God is that we are entirely capable of the same experience! In Christ, the veil the separates us from God is removed.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Numbers_20_face_to_face.ppt
"The LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died." (Numbers 21:6).
In this Bible study we discussed 3 terrible stories:
First, God is described as becoming "angry" and causing people to die as they ate the quail. Then, God opens up the earth to swallow Korah and his followers. Finally, God sends poisonous snakes!
Whatever happened to Satan in the Old Testament and why does this description of God seem so unlike Jesus?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Numbers_11-21_desert_mutiny.ppt
Links to the Greg Boyd Sermon on forgiveness mentioned: Part1 - http://youtu.be/U9TytMyGpuU Part2 - http://youtu.be/WM8bbwKughc
As the rebellious people began their 40 year journey through the wilderness, God said, "I will forgive them." If we look at forgiveness purely from a legal perspective, wouldn't this suggest that these people would be "paid up" and ready to "legally" enter the kingdom? Should we understand forgiveness primarily from a legal perspective? Is it possible to be forgiven yet lost?
What about the people that Jesus forgave as He died on the cross? Will all of the forgiven people who stood at the foot of the cross be in heaven? If it is possible to be forgiven yet lost, what is the purpose of forgiveness?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Numbers_14_forgiveness_in_numbers.ppt
The story of Elisha is filled with spectacular miracles -- in fact, other than the life of Jesus, Elisha's life contains the most dense collection of miracles in the entire Bible. Elisha called rain from heaven and multiplied bread, just as Jesus did. He resurrected a dead boy and provided continuous oil. He healed Naaman of leprosy, called she-bears from the woods, caused an ax head to float and cured poison soup with a little flour. This is just a small sampling of Elisha's impressive list of miracles (all done through the power of God, of course).
There was one miracle associated with the life of Elisha, however, that stands head and shoulders above all the rest and most clearly reflects a central teaching of Jesus Christ.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/2_Kings_1-13.ppt
"How much longer will they refuse to trust me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them?" (Numbers 14:10). We usually associate more faith with more miracles, yet this relationship often seems reversed in the Bible. The children of Israel at this time were rebellious, yet there were many miracles. During the time of Elijah and Elisha there was also very little faith (so little that Elijah complained, "I think that I'm the last one left that is loyal to you"), yet there were lots and lots of miracles. And, after Jesus resurrected Lazarus from 3 days dead in the tomb, "from that day on" the Pharisees made plans to kill Jesus - despite the miracle!
In fact, the book of John is a perfect parallel to the words in Numbers: "Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they still did not trust in him." (John 12:37)
While the Bible reveals God seeming to have relatively little success with the use of miracles, it would seem that Satan is much more successful:
"This second beast performed great miracles; it made fire come down out of heaven to earth in sight of everyone. And it deceived all the people living on earth by means of the miracles..." (Revelation 13:13-14)
What are we to make of all this?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Numbers_1-14_faith_miracles.ppt
"Now don't try to stop me. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them" (Exodus 32:9). These were the words of God to Moses about the roughly 2 million people standing around the foot of Mount Sinai. Was God really "this close" to wiping them all off the map? Was God caught off guard by their rebellion? Did Moses, the creature, need to step in to calm down the Creator?
Believe it or not, this story is one of the greatest examples in the entire Bible of self-sacrificial agape love.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Exodus_32_god_comes_to_kill.ppt
Our job assignment is to serve as priests in the temple. What does this mean? Wafting incense around, sprinkling blood here and there...is there a meaning for us in the daily activities of the tabernacle priests?
I think that if we understand our mission as priests in the world it gives life a deep meaning and purpose. Could I even suggest that our job assignment is more "exciting" than that of a secret agent in "Mission Impossible."
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Leviticus_part2.ppt
We can't ignore it - words that are found in no less a place than the 10 commandments: "I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation." (Exodus 20:5). Thomas Jefferson referred to these words as "contrary to every principle of moral judgment."
Suppose there is a woman who loves God with all her heart, mind and soul. She loves her neighbor as she loves herself. She gives of her time and resources for the poor. She selflessly cares for others and with no desire to receive credit or praise. Yet, her great-grandfather was a cruel man who hated both God and his neighber. Would God punish this woman for the sins of her great-grandfather?
The subject of punishment is one of the most important subjects of all because of the implications about God's character. Does God impose an extrinsic punishment for sin?
While I was in Las Vegas recently I observed hundreds of people lined along "the strip" who were passing out cards that had the picture of a naked woman on one side, on the other a phone number that allowed you to have her delivered to your hotel room. What I found interesting though was a smaller group of individuals passing out cards that said, "Repent and turn from your sins. Otherwise, it's Hell to pay!"
Christians typically describe sinful behaviors as something that should be avoided primarily because God says so and because God will one day punish you for it. In other words, "sin is bad because God doesn't like it." While it's clear that God doesn't like sin, isn't this the case because sin inherently destroys his children?
Imagine that this were the reputation of doctors towards smokers: "What's really bad about smoking is that it angers doctors. Doctors, in their wrath, will cause painful cancer in those who smoke." If that were believed, wouldn't the reputation of doctors be so tarnished they would be the last person a smoker would ever want to see? If this was the settled belief in the world about physicians, it would be an absolute necessity to have a campaign that reaches people with the message, "Smoking Kills, Not Doctors!" And perhaps with a subtitle, "Doctors are there to heal and to help you to stop smoking."
Sadly, that is what has happened to God's reputation in the world. A 2006 study conducted by Baylor University showed that only 23% of individuals believed that God was benevolent or loving. 32% viewed God as authoritarian, 16% as critical, 24% as distant. Someday there should be a global campaign for God. A part of that message might include slogans such as, "Sin Kills"; "God is the Healer, not the Punisher." This Bible study seeks to understand how God punishes.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Exodus_20-33_punish_to_fourth_gen.ppt
Is there any value in studying a sacrificial system which has been obsolete for almost 2,000 years?
The New Testament continually redirects our attention to the sanctuary service which would seem to invite a deeper understanding of the symbols involved. For example, Peter would say that we are being built together as "a spiritual temple" (1 Peter 2:5) while Paul would repeatedly ask the question, "Don't you know that you are the temple?"
What does the Tabernacle in the wilderness tell us about the spiritual temple?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Leviticus_part1.ppt
Speaking in tongues, women speaking in church, getting drunk at the Lord’s supper, eating meat offered to idols, a man sleeping with his step-mother – these were the issues facing the church of Corinth. This early Christian church was coming out of paganism and, in Paul’s absence, it would appear they were on the brink of falling apart. Paul resorts to using some Old Testament methods to bring this church back to Christ. Remarkably, “the love chapter” is found right in the midst of this contentious corresponce between Paul and the church of Corinth.
According to the New Testament, all law comes down to love. "The only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law...if you love others, you will never do them wrong; to love, then is to obey the whole Law" (Romans 13:8,9). And again, "For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself'" (Galatians 5:14).
But now we come to Mount Sinai where God heaped rules on his people - and not just 10 commandments, but a long list of additional rules. If all God wants is love, why would there ever be a need to spell things out in such detail? Several times it is repeated not to cook a goat in its mothers milk. These details extend so far as to specify the priests underwear! What are we to make out of all these rules?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Exodus_20_rules_for_unruly.ppt
Did God harden Pharaoh's heart? Paul's use of the potter-clay analogy to illustrate God's involvement with Pharaoh has been greatly misinterpreted to paint the picture of a god who is not a God of freedom, but rather a puppet master who pre-determines who will be vessels of his love and who will be vessels of his wrath. The potter-clay analogy, however, comes from Jeremiah 18 and should leave exactly the opposite impression!
We also discussed Moses' role as an intercessor at Mount Sinai and suggested how this might help us to understand Jesus' role as an intercessor.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Exodus_5-20_egypt_to_sinai.ppt
Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth" (Numbers 12:3). What is humility and why was this the necessary character trait for Israel's first great leader? Humility is often perceived as something that it is not. For example, some see humility as weakness or as having a low opinion of oneself.
Why is the subject of humility so important? Remarkably, even Jesus would declare of Himself: "I am meek and humble of heart" (Matthew 11:29). Is God humble?
TS Eliot said, "The only wisdom we can hope to acquire is the wisdom of humility - humility is endless." Why is humility endless?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Exodus_1-4_down_is_way_up.ppt
There are two approaches to reading the Bible. The more familiar way is to emphasize the "High Road" - that is to point to the more encouraging stories. For example, the story of how God helped Abraham's servant to find a wife for Isaac, or the incredible story of the "stairway to heaven" that Jacob saw, or the faith of Joseph while in Egypt are all examples of this approach. We should emphasize these "High Road" stories but yet, we often gloss over the difficult and troubling passages which Dr. Alden Thompson calls the "Low Road" approach.
I think that there is great value in walking down the low road, although it is a bit like watching a violent movie in which we may be tempted to walk out in frustration after a certain point. The low road approach forces us to confront polygamy, the deceptive actions of Jacob, the rape of Dinah and the fact that Simeon and Levi slaughtered an entire village to get even. The low road approach confronts us with Reuben who had sexual relations with his father's concubine and then Judah who solicited a woman he thought was a prostitute, but then later discovered was his daughter-in-law, Tamar.
What possible value is there in the "Low Road"? Much in every way!
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_20-50_the_low_road.ppt
It is perhaps the most terrifying story in the Bible. God is described as raining fire and sulfur onto a city and then turning a woman into a pillar of salt. A certain understanding of this story leads to this interpretation of our world:
"Where was God? He was in the winds of Katrina. Just as He came against Sodom and Gomorrah, it was God who came against this American Sodom and Gomorrah, New Orleans." - evangelist
In this Bible study we explored several possible ways of understanding this story. It would seem important that we struggle with the meaning. Jesus told us to "remember Lot's wife." Peter said that "He made those cities an example to ungodly people of what is going to happen to them." (2 Peter 2:6). Is the cosmic conflict going to end in the same way that Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed? In the book of Jude, Sodom is described "as a warning of the eternal fire of God's judgment." (Jude 1:7,8) What does this mean?
What are we to learn from this terrible story?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_18-19_sodom_gomorah.ppt
The stories surrounding Abraham in these chapters are difficult - perhaps impossible - to understand unless we are able to identify with the culture of this time. In this Bible study we focused on 2 main stories. First, why did God ask Abraham to cut animals in half when they entered into a covenant? We easily pass over stories like this when in fact if we are able to understand what this meant to Abraham the meaning is quite spectacular!
Most of the Bible study focused on the story of God's command to sacrifice Isaac. Typically we make direct applications to the Cross in this story, but what did this mean to Abraham and the people of his time?
Appeasement is the mark of paganism all through the Bible. The "gods" are always angry and demand much flowing blood. Child sacrifice was the ultimate act of devotion to these "gods". Sadly, the concept of appeasement persists today, even in Christianity. For example, about the atonement, John Piper would say, God appeased his holy wrath against us. Was the Father appeased by the death of His Son? Does this belief not reflect remnants of pagan beliefs about the gods?
If we understand the context, the story of Abraham and Isaac should help to shatter this believe, rather than to reinforce it.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_12-22_strange_times.ppt
In preparation for the bible studies this year, Dorothee and I are reading the NET translation of the bible which has an interesting translation (and footnotes)for Genesis 6:3. This seems to open a very reasonable explanation for taking the position that God did not send the flood, but that rather the flood was the result of the ensuing chaos that occurs when God's spirit is withdrawn from the earth - once again leading to a toho wabohu ("formless and void") planet earth.
It's interesting to consider that Methuselah died the year of the flood (the name Methuselah means, "when he dies, it shall come") and that Lamech died 5 years before the flood. According the biblical account, God was literally down to the last person that had a trusting relationship with Him. The fact that no one got on the boat except for Noah's family would also support this position.
Is there a destructive natural consequence as God's Spirit - the sustaining Spirit of love and goodness (Hebrews 1:3) - is shut out from the earth? Does the planet function without the presence of its Maker? See what you think!
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_5-11_the_flood.ppt
After Adam and Eve rebelled against God, He told them that he would create enmity (or hatred) between Satan's "descendents" and humanity. Does this merely reflect the ongoing animosity that we see between good and evil?
Perhaps this enmity refers to something much more significant - a divine intervention that was to protect the human race and to give them an opportunity to reject Satan and his kingdom.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_3-4_enmity.ppt
The conversation between Eve and Satan at the tree is the best place in the Bible to answer the question, "What is sin?" This story describes how "sin" first infected our planet.
How we understand sin has important implications and is foundational for how we read the rest of the bible. Is sin a quantity that we could hold in our hands? Is sin something that can be transferred from one person to another? Does sin do its own punishing or does God need to impose a painful penalty for sin? Ultimately we would like to understand how the death of Jesus is involved in solving the sin problem.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_3_what_is_sin.ppt
The book of Genesis opens with a number of allusions to a cosmic conflict that was already in full force when Eden was created. The earth was "formless and void" ("tohu wabohu") which can be interpreted this way:
"The forces that oppose Yahweh and his acts of creation - the forces of disorder, injustice, affliction, and chaos, which are, in the Israelite worldview, one." - Levenson, Persistence of Evil
"Darkness was over the surface of the deep" and darkness would imply more than a mere physical darkness:
"The Hebrew word simply means 'darkness' but in the Bible it has come to symbolize what opposes God, such as judgment (Exodus 10:21), death (Psalm 88:13), oppression (Isaiah 9:1), the wicked (1 Samuel 2:9) and in general, sin" NET Bible footnotes
Adam was then commanded "subdue the earth" or to "bring it under your control" (Genesis 1:28) which literally means to enslave or conquer. Then God told him to "guard" the garden. Guard from what? Weeds?
Critical to our understanding of the world is to incorporate a cosmic conflict, a "war in heaven" (Revelation 12:7) and with a powerful enemy who shows up as a slippery serpent in the garden of Eden.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Genesis_%201-2_tohu_wabohu.ppt
Not everyone is a "fan" of this book! Martin Luther was very blunt: “My spirit cannot accommodate Itself to this book. For me this is reason enough not to think highly of it: Christ is neither taught nor known in it.” It's true, that later in his life, Martin Luther found value in the book of Revelation (although some have noted that he used it mainly as a tool against the Catholic church).
And, here are the words of some other well known individuals:
“A hideous version of Christianity…a repulsive work” - D.H. Lawrence, “Apocalypse”
“Resentment and not love is the teaching of the Revelation of St. John the Divine." Revelation “is a book without wisdom, goodness, kindness, or affection of any kind.” - Harold Bloom, “The Revelation of St. John the Divine”
“We are bound to judge that in its conception of the character of God and His attitude to man the book falls below the level, not only of the teaching of Jesus, but of the best parts of the Old Testament.” - C.H. Dodd, “The Apostolic Preaching and Its Development”
Some, however, view the book of Revelation in a much different light:
“The Apocalypse of John is a work of immense learning, astonishingly meticulous literary artistry, remarkable creative imagination, radical political critique, and profound theology.” - Richard Bauckham, “The Climax of Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation”
“The message of Revelation is best represented as a message of healing and not as a message of destruction.” - Sigve Tonstad
Which camp is true?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Revelation_2009.ppt
Yesterday in the news, reports surfaced about the approved torture of terror suspects. "The Bush Administration approved the use of "insects placed in a confinement box" during the interrogation of top Al Qaeda official Abu Zubaydah, according to a 2002 document...The legal memorandum for the CIA...reviewed 10 enhanced techniques for interrogating Zubaydah, and determined that none of them constituted torture under U.S. criminal law. The techniques were: attention grasp, walling (hitting a detainee against a flexible wall), facial hold, facial slap, cramped confinement, wall standing, stress positions, sleep deprivation, insects placed in a confinement box, and waterboarding."
Based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, I think that we should be able to say with conviction that these methods are absolutely contrary to God's kingdom and that there is never a time where these means are justified. But having said that, many believe that God tortures sinners for all of eternity in hell (or at least that he allows sinners to be tortured forever in hell). This would seem to make waterboarding look like a picnic by comparison. Others believe in annihilationism, where the burning only lasts for a brief period of time - could be seconds, minutes or hours depending on how much you have sinned. But yet in this view, God still tortures. I've heard someone say that "If Hitler doesn't suffer in the flames for at least a few days then I will not be satisfied." How long would someone last in a lake of fire? It would last no more than a brief nanosecond and you would be dead. Does God perform a miracle to keep people alive in the fire while fully aware of the pain? Does God torture?
The book of Peter talks about this fire. What do we make of this verse that even describes the heavens as burning up? “The day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day heaven will pass away with a roaring sound. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed. The earth and everything that people have done on it will be exposed. All these things will be destroyed in this way. So think of the kind of holy and godly lives you must live as you look forward to the day of God and eagerly wait for it to come. When that day comes, heaven will be on fire and will be destroyed. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and melt.” (2 Peter 3:10-12 GW)
In this Bible study we discussed the fire. It is one of the most important subjects as it relates to the character of God. Is sin exterminated by God torturing sinners to death? Does God resurrect the people of Sodom just to burn them one more time?
There is another way of looking at the fire.....
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/1_2_Peter_2009.ppt
This was one of the more intense Bible studies that I've done in a while with a ton of Bible verses! For this reason, I would strongly encourage you to download the powerpoint slides and to watch them with the audio. You will get a lot more out of it!
The book of Hebrews contains such a beautiful message about Jesus Christ. What is Jesus doing as our High Priest? As a child I remember feeling sorry for Jesus as I imagined him confined to a building in heaven, swinging a censor and pleading with the Father for us. I wondered, "Does he ever leave the building? Isn't this a rather boring activity that he is engaged in, day after day?" I believe that the reality Paul is trying to describe (using the symbols of the Old Testament sanctuary system) is that Jesus' ministry as High Priest is to cleanse our hearts and minds through the revelation of his character of love. This is what restores our trust and our relationship with God once again. This is what cleanses the temple!
Speaking bluntly, it seems to me that the domination of the legal model in our time as the only means of understanding the plan of salvation, the sacrifical system, and the death of Jesus gets in the way of seeing the beauty of what God is really up to. The relational model, the marriage model, the at-one-ment model, and the medical model all provide a much richer understanding (from my perspective).
Finally, if you haven't read the book of Hebrews in the J.B. Phillips translation, it's a good one! Here's how Phillps translates the opening verses:
“God, who gave our forefathers many different glimpses of the truth in the words of the prophets, has now, at the end of the present age, given us the truth in the Son. Through the Son God made the whole universe, and to the Son he has ordained that all creation shall ultimately belong. This Son, radiance of the glory of God, flawless expression of the nature of God, himself the upholding principle of all that is, effected in person the reconciliation between God and man and then took his seat at the right hand of the majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3, J.B. Phillips)
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Hebrews_2009.ppt
We are often pre-occupied with our own personal salvation to the point that we lose the "big picture". Yet the Bible again and again tries to reveal to us the reality of a cosmic conflict that is being fought over the character of God. As we really begin to understand the issues involved, Christians should be a voice in the world that can at least begin to articulate to our friends how it is possible than an all-powerful and all-loving God could allow children to starve or allow for planes to be flown into skyscrapers. The theodicy dilemma is one of the major factors that prevents people from believing in God, but as Christians we should be in a position to at least discuss some reasonable answers to this question. In addition, we can only begin to understand subjects such as the complexity of prayer when we have incorporated a larger picture of this war that began in heaven. As we discussed in this lecture, thanks to the writings of Celsus and Origin, there is convincing evidence that cosmic conflict theology was a prevaling model of the 2nd century Christian church.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Ephesians+Phillipians+Colossians_2009.ppt
Paul makes the incredibly bold statement at the beginning of this book that if you do not accept his version of the gospel, "may you be condemned to hell." And, he would later go on to say that those who distort the gospel by suggesting that we get right with God by keeping the law should "go all the way and castrate themselves." Would this not suggest that it is critically important that we each come to a strong opinion on what the gospel really is? And, since Paul would say that we are not put right with God by keeping the law, he then asks the obvious questions, "What then was the purpose of the law?" His answer to this question is so important!
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Galatians_2009.ppt
At first glance, it may seem that there are a number of contradictions in the Bible with regards to faith and actions. On the one hand, Paul says, "God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ" (Romans 3:22) and then he points to Abraham as being put right with God by his faith. But then Paul would say, "For it is not by hearing the Law that people are put right with God, but by doing what the Law commands" (Romans 2:13), and in the book of James we read, "How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions...." (James 2:21). Is this emphasis on actions what led Luther to say that James was "A letter written in straw"? How do we reconcile these verses?
Much of the Bible study was spent discussing Paul's description of the Gentiles who know nothing of the law, but yet, "Whenever they do by instinct what the Law commands, they are their own law....Their conduct shows that what the Law commands is written in their hearts." (Romans 2:14,15). Is there a way to salvation other than through Jesus Christ? Can the "heathen" be saved?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Romans_part2_2009.ppt
Character of God Controversy? The first 3 chapters of Romans provides the perfect platform to discuss some of the questions that surround the character of God. Paul reveals to us both sides of the coin. On one side, Paul describes again and again that the Good News is about "the righteousness of God" as revealed by Jesus and that this is what wins us back to trust in God again. Paul takes up the challenge of Habakkuk's theodicy question (Habakkuk chapter 1) and responds that "The righteousness of God" as revealed by Jesus is the answer to the dilemma of a loving and powerful God and a cruel world. But Paul also shows us "the other side" - not a dark side of God's character - but rather Paul discusses what will happen to us if we choose not to respond to the gracious character of God as revealed by Jesus. What happens if the Good News about God does not win us back to trust? What will God do to us?
In this BIble study, I referred several times to the excellent piece written by Sigve Tonstad, entitled "Reading Paul in a New Paradigm". I think that this article is very important in understanding the thesis of Romans as well as the entire theology of Paul. My understanding is that the book of Romans revolves around the question of God's righteousness, faithfulness, and character.
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Romans_part1_2009.ppt
Our trip through the Bible during the last 18 months has revealed a common theme: We look very bad, while God looks very good. The book of Acts reveals a brief moment in time when the "church" actually had its act together for a very brief period, and the results were spectacular! If there is to be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these last days, what do you think it would look like? What does this exciting movement in the early church tell us about the Kingdom of God in contrast to the kingdoms of the world?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Acts_2009.ppt
This is the video recording of the December 11, 2008 Bible study for the Loma Linda University School of Allied and Public Health.
Part two of this lecture continues the story of the Bible and includes a discussion on the reliability of the historical Jesus.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/bible_in_translation_part2.ppt
This is the video recording of the December 11, 2008 Bible study for the Loma Linda University School of Allied and Public Health.
This is part one related to the subject of Bible translation.
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/bible_in_translation_part1.ppt
These 2 books describe the events that occured during the kingship of David. What made David a man after God's own heart? Also, in preparation for the book of Psalms, the subject of inspiration was discussed at length. Nathan at first told David that his idea to build a temple was a great idea, but then had to return to say that he was wrong. Can a prophet make mistakes? And, we discussed the story of David and Bathsheba. What is there to learn about God in that story? Did David want God to pardon him or to heal him?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/2_Samuel+1_Chronicles.ppt
This book begins with a man having his thumbs and toes cut off and ends with a concubine having her body cut up into 12 pieces. In between we have a man stabbed through the temple with a tent peg while he sleeps, Samson killing a thousand men with the jaw bone of a donkey, and countless other brutal escapades. Where is gentle Jesus in the book of Judges?
Get the powerpoint slides here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Judges+Ruth_2007.ppt
Fighting, fighting, fighting! Achan and his entire family are stoned to death for disobeying. God keeps the sun from setting so that more killing can take place. Orders for babies to be killed and horses to be hamstrung. How do we reconcile "eye for an eye" language with Jesus who told us not to live that way?
This book contains the advice of God, through Moses, just as the people are to enter the promised land. It's an amazing book! But, there is also some unusual advice given. For example, what application can we make of the advice to use the tithe money and to buy even alcohol if the journey to the temple was too far? The book of Deuteronomy is also the first window in the Bible to really understanding the meaning of God's wrath. I find this to be very good news!
There is no question that this is a dark and disturbing book. The people are against Moses. Aaron and Miriam are at times against Moses. Rebellion among the people against God is breaking out left and right. How can a gentle and kind God reach a people like this? {One comment that I meant to add during the Bible study. When God came in power during Korah's rebellion and threatened to kill all the people (Numbers 16), Moses and Aaron stood in between and pleaded with God to show mercy. I believe that God knew how Moses and Aaron would respond, and used the opportunity in front of the people to create trust and confidence in Moses and Aaron and to get this message to the people: "Moses and Aaron really do have your best interest at heart. Please trust them, and the just maybe you will trust me someday".
This is very similar to why God came on Mount Sinai in such power: "I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will believe you from now on." (Exodus 19) Please also listen to the other description of God appearing ready to wipe them all out in Exodus, part 2 - - Dig Deeper! Stay centered on His love! - BC}
The Tabernacle system that God instituted in the wilderness is quite simply an ingenious masterpiece in the way that it met the people in that time. At the same time, it has a powerful message for us today about the plan of salvation.
Why didn't God just kill Lucifer when he first sinned and became Satan? Why allow the sin problem to continue? If God would have to drown millions in a flood, wouldn't killing Lucifer in the beginning have been justified? How could a God of love send the flood? Why did Jesus wait so long to come? Why not come before the flood? And, what are we to learn by the story of Abraham going to sacrifice Isaac?
How should we approach the evolution vs. creation debate? Did God create in 6 literal days or did God use the process of evolution? Why did God put a tree in the garden for Adam and Eve to avoid? But the ultimate question asked of this Bible study was this: what is the essence of sin? What did Eve do that was so bad? How do we associated the problem (which began with eating forbidden fruit) with the solution - the death of Jesus Christ?
This lecture is a good place to start for those of you that are new to Godscharacter.com. I would encourage you to continue on from this Bible study and into Genesis, Exodus, etc. Be sure to view the powerpoint slides with the lecture. The video and audio lectures were given at different times, but are essentially the same content. The audio lectures are recorded from the Loma Linda School of Medicine Bible study; the video lectures are recorded from the Loma Linda School of Allied and Public Health Bible study.
This is the first Bible study that begins another 2 year trip through the Bible. During this Bible study, some of the most important concepts in the Bible are discussed. What is the main purpose of the Bible and what should our focus be as we read the Bible? Why did Jesus come? Who is Jesus? Why does God sometimes appear to be different than Jesus in character? How can an all-powerful and all-good God allow little children to starve to death? Is it OK to ask these kind of questions of God as we read the Bible?
Paul says that all God asks of us is trust, and he cites Abraham as an example of this. Does james paint a contradictory message when he says this: "How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions."
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/James_2007.ppt
Thessalonians has much to say about the second coming. What does it mean to fall asleep in Christ? Do people go right to heaven when they die? Is the soul immortal? In the book of Timothy, Paul gives advice about what kind of a person would be a good leader in the church. How many of the great men and women in the Bible would you actually want to have as your church head elder?
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What does the book of Hebrews tell us about the role of Christ as our High Priest? What is Jesus doing in the Heavenly Sanctuary? What does it mean, "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin?" Finally, why did Paul choose to put people like "Gideon" and "Samson" in the chapter on faith? Are these men examples of great faith?
The church of Corinth was a mess. Rebellion, chaos, a disorderly worship service, division, a man sleeping with his step mother, people getting drunk at the Lord's supper....on and on. The way that Paul dealt with this mess is quite admirable and gives us insight into the methods that God has used to reach us.
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These two books speak of the final day of judgment and of the final end of sin and sinners. How are the wicked destroyed in the end? Are they consumed by a literal fire? What causes the suffering? Is the final end of sinners due to the destructive nature of sin and rebellion, or does God terminate the lives of his children?
Follow along with the powerpoint presentation here - http://www.godscharacter.com/files/ppt/Joel+Zephaniah.ppt